The Gilas Women team for the Fiba 3×3 Asia Cup. –SBP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Gilas Pilipinas’ 3×3 Women’s team advanced to the Fiba Asia Cup 2023 tournament quarterfinals on Saturday.
Gilas Women edged Iran, 16-13, in Pool A action behind Janine Pontejos’s nerves of steel.
With Gilas leading by just one, 14-13, Pontejos sank a timely basket that extended the Philippines’ lead to three with only 14 seconds remaining.
Pontejos finished with six points while Khate Castillo helped the winning cause with five to her name.
However, the Philippines’ win over Iran was not the key factor in helping them advance to the next round.
Earlier in the day, Gilas bowed to China in a lopsided affair, 19-10, which gave them a 1-1 record to end the pool matchups.
China then defeated Iran, 21-12, to give Gilas an open path to the quarterfinals. Iran dropped to a 0-2 record.
The 3×3 squad will head to the knockout round where it faces New Zealand, the best team from Pool C, on Sunday.
The country’s men’s representatives have bowed out of the tournament after a pair of losses.